He spends a lot of time talking about people using his store as a show room, but it's fairly obvious that the ability of big box stores to price gouge is entirely a product of snowboard manufacturers flooding the supply. He isn't losing customers because it is somehow more convenient to buy a snowboard online or to pick it up at a big box store, he is losing because they have higher margins and the product is cheaper. These shops are following the same path of local hardware stores. I feel for the cause, and support it, but appealing to the vast majority of consumers to jump in is unrealistic because history tells us they won't.

Good message poor delivery I just want to mock that guy so bad and I only shop local. He's also one of the few that haven't learned how to adapt.

Nothing lasts forever, retail has been changing, adapting, evolving for decades. He complains a great deal about "showrooming", but doesn't mention what he's done to encourage the tire-kickers to buy at his store. He wails about where you've going to get a ladder strap replaced or a weld done. If there's enough demand, then it will probably be at a place that only does service.

I owned a retail place in another industry for 17 years. Product lines came and went, but margins just got tighter and tighter. Service was where the money was, but you had to have huge service accounts to make it. Eventually, in desperation, I tried a radical idea: I raised my retail prices but bundled the product with "free" service (you paid for parts, but labor was free). It worked for another 6 years, allowing me to survive my competition until the entire industry became obsolete.

Just once, I'd like to hear about a retail/resale store do something. Big Box stores and online shopping are here to stay, deal with it.

Nothing lasts forever, retail has been changing, adapting, evolving for decades. He complains a great deal about "showrooming", but doesn't mention what he's done to encourage the tire-kickers to buy at his store. He wails about where you've going to get a ladder strap replaced or a weld done. If there's enough demand, then it will probably be at a place that only does service.

I owned a retail place in another industry for 17 years. Product lines came and went, but margins just got tighter and tighter. Service was where the money was, but you had to have huge service accounts to make it. Eventually, in desperation, I tried a radical idea: I raised my retail prices but bundled the product with "free" service (you paid for parts, but labor was free). It worked for another 6 years, allowing me to survive my competition until the entire industry became obsolete.

Just once, I'd like to hear about a retail/resale store do something. Big Box stores and online shopping are here to stay, deal with it.

I full agree with you on this. My local shop in Breck (The Big Hit) has adapted to what's going on super well. You won't find Burton in there, you'll only find the big brands stuff that is harder to get. They carry the smaller brands, they demand exclusivity in the area, they price match in the county and will meet people half way most of the time for online. Plus they've made it a hub for the county and community.

I'd be interested to see how a bricks and mortar store does by bundling 5 free belt wax vouchers with the purchase of every board in their store. Costs practically nothing if you already have a belt waxer and it's a value add that websites can't match. Plus, it gets people back in the store on a regular basis.

More often then not some of these small local shops are staffing their stores with young kids, uneducated in the products they are selling, and more interested in sneaking out for a smoke, then they are in selling me something. I'm the kind of person who will shop online if I have to, but I'm easily sold on quality of service and staff that seem genuinely interested in making me a customer.

This year alone I've walked out of many a store just because I didn't feel comfortable shopping there. Today I went to look at jackets for a boxing day sale...the staff decided to form a huge line for the people waiting to purchase and formed the line down the only aisle that held the jackets I wanted to look at....stupid move..I left, no sale opportunity. I went to the same store looking for boots a while back..wanted to try on some new Nike Ites and the sales kid, who didn't know shit about the product..left to get me a size and was gone for 15 minutes. When he came back he reeked of pot, so it was more important for him to sneak out back then it was for him to get my boots.... That killed the sale for me and I left, went to another store that night and dropped 450.00 on boots.

There are a few smaller shops that I've experienced great service and knowledgable staff. Every time I walk out of those stores I end up with more product in my hands than I intended to purchase. The smaller stores that I see thriving are always the ones with friendly, knowledgable staff, who offer great service and good deals.

There are too many lazy shop owners out there and in their stores..yes, I will use their place as a showroom since that's all they seem to be offering me as a customer.

I think this Jay guy has been around for a while if I'm not mistaken. I think he brings up some good points but they may be more specific to his situation than the larger world of spec shops. At least he was honest and called it a rant straight out lol.

The main point I thought was about providing service where the customer won't find it in any big box store or online except in the form of a refund which you can get at a spec store anyway.

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Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head will collapse

It's funny everyone believes box store staffs suck. When I worked for the largest shop in Summit County it was a box store, still is. But the staff was unrivaled by anyone and with the giant selection we had we could cater to just about everyone. Every problem you guys are talking about was the reason we were successful there.

On a side note, did anyone else notice all the typo's in that article? Pretty sure Mike Lewis is paid the big bucks as the senior editor to fix that shit.